St. Michael’s Cathedral Church in Kodungalloor, the seat of the Latin Catholic diocese of Kottappuram, was witness to history on Thursday with the inclusion of five women among the 12 whose feet were washed and kissed by Bishop Joseph Karikkassery as part of the Holy Thursday ceremonies.
The decision to include women was taken in response to a call from Pope Francis in January this year to bring about changes in the Maundy Thursday rubrics to make women part of the feet-washing ceremony, central to the Christian themes of charity and service.
Reliving a tradition
The Maundy Thursday ceremonies relive the New Testament account of Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples before he was betrayed and taken into custody by Roman soldiers.
While the Oriental Churches in Kerala which are in communion with Rome have decided to take a decision on the Pope’s call later this year, the Latin rite diocese of Kottappuram, along with Kollam went ahead with the decision to include women among the faithful whose feet are washed as a sign of humility exemplified by Jesus in the New Testament accounts.
You have reached your limit for free articles this month.
Subscription Benefits Include
Today's Paper
Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list.
Unlimited Access
Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.
Personalised recommendations
A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.
Faster pages
Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.
Dashboard
A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.
Briefing
We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.
Support Quality Journalism.
*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper, crossword and print.
A letter from the Editor
Dear subscriber,
Thank you!
Your support for our journalism is invaluable. It’s a support for truth and fairness in journalism. It has helped us keep apace with events and happenings.
The Hindu has always stood for journalism that is in the public interest. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. As a subscriber, you are not only a beneficiary of our work but also its enabler.
We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.
Suresh Nambath
Please Email the Editor